Elder, a Sacramento native, transferred in 2010 from junior college to Arizona State where he excelled primarily as a safety. In two seasons, he started 20 of 25 games with the Sun Devils and, in 2011, made 66 tackles, gaining a reputation as a skilled playmaker.

The 5-foot-10, 185-lb. Elder attended camp with the Arizona Cardinals in 2012. He was added to the practice roster of the Montreal Alouettes in October of 2012 and signed a month later before being released last June.